Miha StrukeljLjubjana, Slovenia

Artist's Statement

I am drawn to ambiguous nature and the confines of a space (in the sense of both physical space of the canvas or other support medium, and geographical space). I have focused on urban landscapes and in my works I create a new sense of place by combining different real or fictitious elements, or by abstracting real topologies. Urban spaces are defined by architecture, landmarks and points, which create a tension. In between there are empty and forgotten spaces. I am especially interested in space which is not inhabited with content, but is somewhere in-between, and use it to explore how we define and perceive reality and how architecture and environment shape us, as they are largely representational but also include a potential for an idea, for our projections. By exploring the process of creating a painting or drawing, when I leave empty patches and show underlying content I challenge the viewers’ perception of these genres. This exploration has led me to experiment how painting and drawing function in physical space and I have attempted in various ways to bring them into space by constructing large-scale installations.My working process begins by taking photographs of elements of physical and built environment – the inside and outside of buildings, structures or public transport, and views from them – and anonymous individuals defined by or defining them. In drawing installations, I combine these into new realities. I explore how adding other elements, such as independent drawings influence the idea and the workArtist’s Statement